"I'm glad you stayed for breakfast. Maybe we could laze around here today. You know, if you want to."

"Sure, honey. Sounds great." Her voice lacked enthusiasm, but she didn't think he noticed. She took another bite of her cereal, cringing a bit at the bland taste. Will could cook, and she always admired his way with food. It was so much better than a bowl of cereal.

He took her bowl from in front of her and placed it in the sink. It bothered her a bit when he didn't begin to wash the dishes; he only left them for later. However, she shook it off and stood from her chair, adjusting a pair of his shorts she was wearing and his shirt that came over her thighs. She felt comfortable, but ridiculous all at the same time.

He grabbed her hand and pulled her into his living room area. She sat on the couch as he turned on the television and took a seat by her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. It all felt too casual to her. It was as if they had entered a time warp, and they were suddenly married and twenty years old again. Oddly enough, she could see herself feeling comfortable, except for the stomach ache she had been experiencing for almost a week.

If she began a relationship with Steve, they didn't have to change much about themselves. They already knew each other so there was no need to go through the routine of a first time meeting. She hated to admit that it was tempting to just stay with him, remain in a comfortable situation, but there would always be something missing. She didn't want him, she wanted Will. He was all she could think about, and she wanted that to just stop. For her sanity, she needed it to stop.

"Karen?"

"What?" She jumped, turning to meet his eyes.

"I asked what you were thinking about."

"Nothing."

"Do you regret coming over last night? Is something wrong?"

"I'm just sick to my stomach, that's all. I don't regret anything." She smiled, and it seemed to ease his mind. Too bad it didn't change hers.

----------

"Damn it." The pregnancy test was a strange purple color, obviously a fluke. She tossed it in the trashcan and ran her hands through her hair. Perhaps she was only paranoid. Her period was only four days late, but she was worried.

She had slept with Steve two nights before so she knew who the father would be. She looked at herself in the mirror and shook her head at the meaningless woman staring back at her. She didn't want a child, simply wasn't prepared for all the things it would mean. Her heart was too selfish.

"Karen, why didn't you show up at work today?" She met Grace's eyes through the mirror. She had been using her key to enter the manse ever since the night she left her husband, and sometimes Karen wished she had taken it back. She shrugged, sighing.

"I might be pregnant."

"Wow." Grace closed the bathroom door behind her and walked closer. "I didn't even know you were seeing anyone."

"I'm not." She felt like a slut, even though that wasn't the case at all.

"Oh." Grace paused, and she could tell she was judging her. "Do you know who the father is?"

"I'm not even sure if I am, yet. But, yes, I know who it would be." She turned around to face her friend. She was scared, her heart pounding in her chest. Fear was unwelcome in her body and she needed help. She needed a friend. A shiver ran down her spine, and she could feel her bottom lip quiver a bit. "Grace, I don't sleep around."

"I know." She moved closer to Karen and pulled her into a hug, feeling as if she needed it. She held to her friend, her boss, while tears threatened to fall.

"Oh, honey, I'm too old to have a baby. And he doesn't even want to be with me. What am I going to do, Grace?" She pulled away and held the redhead by the shoulders. After years of holding her emotions and feelings inside, she needed to let something out. She was tired of feeling numb and helpless.

"Have you told him?"

"Not until I know. I may be cold, but I'm not a complete bitch."

"Who is it?"

"It's…" She almost said it. It almost just slipped from her lips, but she stopped herself in time. "Nobody you know, honey."

There was silence for a moment. Neither knew what to say, what the next step in their conversation should be. Grace wasn't used to seeing such a side of Karen, so open and vulnerable. She wasn't sure if she should just leave or continue trying to help. It wasn't like Karen to want to talk about anything, but she felt that leaving wasn't the right thing to do at that point.

"Listen, I'm going to call Will and tell him I'm staying over. Is that okay?"

"Please, Grace. I'd like that. But don't tell him why." As Grace left the room she allowed herself a quick cry. She wasn't holding too many of the cold stereotypes of a socialite, but crying in front of Grace was not an option. Crying was not an option. She wiped the tears from her cheeks and met her friend in her bed, where she allowed her guard to fall and she received comfort. She allowed the soft words to be spoken into her ear until she slept.

And the next morning after the doctor confirmed that she was two and a half months pregnant, she allowed Grace to see her cry. And yet, life went on.